114 BRITISH BREEDS. 



are described by Mr. Cully, thus : " I am sorry to say I 

 never saw such ugly sheep as these — the worst breeds we 

 have in England are by much superior. One would suppose 

 that the sheep-breeders in Ireland have taken as much pains 

 to breed awkward sheep, as many of the people in England 

 have to breed handsome ones. I know nothing to recom- 

 mend them except their size, which might please some old- 

 fashioned breeders who can get no kind of stock large enough. 

 These sheep are supported by very long, thick, crooked, 

 grey legs, their heads long and ugly, with large flagging ears, 

 grey faces, and eyes sunk ; necks long, and set on behind the 

 shoulders ; breast narrow and short ; hollow both before and 

 behind the shoulders ; flat-sided, with high, narrow, herring 

 backs ; hind quarters drooping and tail set low."* 



Mr. Youatt follows up this description with the remark, 

 "that much must be set down to the score of prejudice." 

 Mr. Cully himself was at that time a successful breeder of 

 the New Leicester, and no doubt was anxious to extend his 

 favorite breed into Ireland. This by others was soon eff'ect- 

 ed, and the cross established a sheep admirably adapted to 

 the rich pastures characteristic of the country, and resulted 

 in large increase of profits to those who embarked earliest in 

 the enterprise. So much as 150 guineas were paid for the 

 hire of a single ram of the improved breed of Leicesters. 



Mr. Youatt says — " The new breed struggled for a while 

 against prejudices and difficulties of every description, and 

 at length completely triumphed. They gradually spread 

 over the whole of Ireland ; and the Irish sheep that are now 

 brought so plentifully to the English market will scarcely 

 yield to the best improved Leicesters that any part of Great 

 Britain can produce." The improved fleece weighs from 5 

 to 7 lbs. ; the fibre is the 560th part of an inch in diameter, 

 and the serrations 1920 in the space of an inch. Irish wool 

 is used for stuffs, bombazines, and bombazetts. 



* Cully on Live Stock. 



